Multiple band blade slicing machine



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4 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. W. HARTMAN MULTIPLE BAND BLADE SLICING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5. 1939 June 25, 19.40.

Invenl'on William Walk/'Harlin an.

orney.

June 25, w, w, HARTMAN 2,205,527

MULTIPLE BAND BLADE SLICING MACHINE Filed Jan. s, 19:59 4 Sheng-sheet 2 a, Mzzoo/,2% NS lo7 g3g- 7 i 2/0 /2\ 20. 'm fo Il '-2/4 .9 A z/o n una June 25. 1940. w. w. HARTMAN 2,205,527

' IULTIPLB BAND BLADE sLIcING MACHINE ,a o4 zas 2,06 zoe "zag 00 2 2 37 nvezzlfor.

a5 W' iam Walfer Iarm an.

Jlle 25, 1940. ww, HARTMAN 2,205,527'

- MULTIPLE BAND BLADE SLICING* MACHINE A Filed Jan. 5, 19259` 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [nnen an William WaZer/arman.

Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES rerum"V orifice Application January 3,

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to machines for slicing articles such as loaves of bread, 4and more particularly to slicing machines of the multiple endless band 'blade type.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved simple efficient multiple band blade slicing machine of the figure 8 type.

A more general object of the present invention is to provide a simpliiied two-drum band if? blade slicing machine of the figure 8 type in which one of the two drums is segmented into a plurality of independently adjustable blade tensioning rolls so mounted as to eliminate the possibility of the blades being dulled by contact 'if' with any part of the roll mounting means pro` vided for each roll, when and if the blades run partially oli their respective rolls.

Another object is to provide for the easy, quick and convenient mounting of the endless band blades in the machine.

A further object of the invention isto provide an improved multiple band blade slicing inachine of the figure 8 type, in which improved individual blade tensioning provisions are incorporated.

To those skilled in the art Various additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the appended drawings and the following detailed description of a present illustrative embodiment thereof, reference for this purpose 'being directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a slicing machine in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the slicing machine of Fig. l, being a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig, 3;

Fig` 2a is a diagram showing a typical electrical circuit for the machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; l

Fig. 3a is a detail section on line Sri-' a oi Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a detail taken as indicated by the broken line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail taken as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail taken from Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a detail taken as indicated by line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on lines ll-8 of Figs. 2 and 7 Fig. 9 is a detail taken as indicated by line 9-9 of Fig. 2; and

1939, Serial No. 249,047

Fig. 9a is a detail section taken as indicated by i line Suf-9a of Fig. 9.

of one form of my invention is designated generally'by numeral l0. The general frame structure of the machine includes a basev il, on which is mounted a vertically elongated rectangular housing l2 surmounted by a top I3, Mounted o-n base il and extending upwardly to top I3, adjacent and just inside the rearward wall of housing l2, is a channel member i4, on which certain operative parts of the machine aremounted, as later to be described. Extending between base Il and top i3 Within the two forward corners of housing l2v are vertical-f1'ame members Al5 and IS of angle cross-section. The front side of housing l2 is provided with a swinging door I8 hinged as at i9 (see Fig. l).

A plurality of endless band blades 20 are looped over upper and lower band supporting drums 2| and 22, respectively, which preferably and as here illustrated, are of the same diameter and have their axes substantially parallel and in the same vertical plane. Each blade goes on drums 2l and 22 in figure 8 form, with the upper blade loop being passed over upper drum 2l, the blade being then twisted through a half turn, and inally with the lower blade loop being passed over lower drum 22. This threading arrangement brings the cutting edges 20a of the central porf tions of both courses of each band blade to a position where they cross each other and where they are directed toward the front of the machine, from which` direction the loaves or other articles are fed against the blades.

To provide automatic or independent tensioning of blades 20, either upper drum 2l or lower drum 22 is segmented into a plurality of individ.

Prefual drums or rolls, one for each blade. erably, and as here illustrated, upper drum 2l is so segmented for this purpose, and upper drum 2l is accordingly made up of a plurality of individual drums or rolls Ela, one for each blade 20. The details of these individual upper drums 2| a will be described later.

Lower drum 22 is revolvably mounted as low in the machine as possible. For this purpose, base member l I is formed with an opening i ia to receive'the lower portion of the drum, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. This drum 22 comprises a cylindrical shell 23 mounted on drum ends 25 and 26 which are in turn mounted for rotation, by means of any suitable bearings, such as indicated at 2l and 21a, respectively, on a non-.- rotatable shaft 28. The rearward end of this shaft 28 is secured to the frame structure by a heavy screw 29, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The entire weight of the drum may thus be supported at this one end of shaft 28. A removable support is provided for the other end of shaft 28. Thus, the forward end of shaft 28 is drilled and tapped to receive a heavy screw 30 carried by a hanger 3|, which latter is hung from the outer end of a bracket arm 32 mounted on channel member |4 above drum 22 and projecting forwardly from said channel member between the blade courses travelling to and from said drum. The inner side of hanger 3| is spaced somewhat from the outer end of drum 22, a spacing washer 34 being placed on screw 30 between said members. The reason for the provision of this spacing will appear presently.

The inner end member 26 of drum 22 is formed with a pair of peripheral V-grooves 3G for driving i V-belts 3l, which are driven by a pulley 38, pow,

ered through suitable reduction gearing, not shown, from the shaft of an electric motor 39 mounted on base When belts 31 are first `placed on the machine over drum 22, or when said belts are replaced, screw 30 is withdrawn and spacing washer 34 removed, so that the belt can be placed on over the end of the drum by being moved upwardly between the outer or forward end of the drum and hanger 3|. The belts are then simply moved longitudinally of the drum to grooves 36. In the form of my machine here shown the blades are off of the machine at the time the belts are so moved on over the powerdriven drum 22. Belts 3l being in place, screw 30 is advanced through spacer 34 into supporting engagement with drum shaft 28.

As already indicated one of the two drums of 4the machine (in this case the upper drum 2|) is segmented into a plurality of independently adjustable blade tensioning rolls 2|a disposed side by side in approximate alinement with each other, there being one such roll for each blade. Each of these rolls is mounted on its own separate roll mounting means which is individually movable and arranged to permit independent adjustment of rolls 2| a to thereby independently tension the various blades that run respectively on these rolls 2| a. Each such roll mounting means in its turn is mounted on a. supporting means that is carried on the frame structure and that extends transversely of the blades. This transversely extending supporting means and the plurality of individual roll mounting means carried thereon, are in substance located in the space between the two crossed courses of the various blades, and also between the plurality of individual rolls 2id and the places where the two courses of the blades cross each other. My reason for selecting this rather cramped and unusual place for locating the roll mounting means, and for confining the latter entirely therein, is that I can there create as between the blades and the roll mounting means a space that might be termed a safety margin extending entirely around the roll mounting means whereby if one or more blades run partially off their respective rolls 2|a, they cannot become dulled by having their edges contact any arm or part of the roll mounting means. The said safety margin prevents this. In more ordinary or conventional slicers where there is no such safety margin, and where the individual roll mounting means derives its own support from somewhere outside the place just mentioned, that is outside of the blade loops that embrace the rolls 2|a, it is obvious that some arm or part of such roll mounting means must then intersect the blade loops that embrace the rolls 2 la (when same are viewed in a direction parallel to the axes of rolls 2|a.) and consequently, because of the compactness of the parts, it is apparent that in this case the blades will become dulled by contacting these intersecting arms or parts if the blades run partially'off their respective rolls. Such dulling is however avoided by my unusual arrangement providing the aforesaid safety mar gin, and this is an important feature of my invention.

I will now proceed to describe one form of mechanism arranged in conformity with my invention as set forth in the para-graph just preceding.

Upper drum 2|, as previously mentioned, comprises a series or row of individual drums or rolls Zia. positioned side by side, the poripheries of which engage the upper loops of individual band blades 20. The construction and mounting of these individual drums 2|@ is shown best in Figs. 2 and 7 to 9, to which attention is now directed. Each individual drum or roll 2|a comprises a rim 40, whose periphery is adapted to engage an individual blade, and a web 4| and hub 42.

Hub 42 is formed with an axial bore 43, within which is received the outer race ring of a ball bearing 44, said bearing being retained by a pair of circular retainer plates 45 secured to hub 42. The inner race ring of bearing 44 is mounted on outwardly facing annular shoulders 46, and between flanges 41, formed on a pair of disks 48, which are secured together and pressed against the sides of the inner race ring of the bearing by means of screw 49.

'I'he outer flat faces of disks 48 are provided with annular projections 59 which are received in circular openings 5| formed in the upper ends of a pair of parallel, flat plates 52, said plates 52 being secured to the sides of disks 48 as by screws 52a.

These plates 52, together with certain later described parts and spacers, comprise that form of the individual roll mounting means which appears in the illustrative machine herein described. 'Ihese plates 52 are mounted for vertical sliding movement in guide ways provided by a supporting means now to be described. Projecting from the frame channel member |4, and extending transversely of the blades and through the space between the crossed blade courses, just below drums 2|a and above the place where the blade courses cross each other, is a box-like supporting means or structure 60, here shown as made up of bottom 6| and vertical side walls 62 (see Figs. 2 and 3). These wall members 6| and 62, which may consist of separate flat plates, welded together at their meeting edges, as indicated in Fig. 2, are provided with a mounting flange 63 abutting channel member I4 and secured thereto as by screws 64. The inner surfaces of side walls 62 are formed with vertical grooves or ways 65, as indicated in Fig. il, which are adapted to receive the aforementioned mounting plates 52 for the individual tensioning drums 2|a.

The pair of plates 52 associated with each drum 2|a is provided, a short distance belowslidably receive the tongues 'l2 between the afore- 75 mentioned ways 65. The mounting plates E2 of adjacent drums 2m are in sliding engagement Iwith one another, being received in the same vertical groove 65, while the grooves II of corresponding spacing blocks E'I slidably receive tongues 'I2 formed between ways S5, all as clearly indicated in Fig. 8. rI'he mounting plates 52 for each individual blade engaging drum'2 Ia. are thus vertically slidable, independently of all the remaining such assemblies, in the guideways afforded by supporting structure 69.

An independent yielding means is provided for yieldingly urging each roller carrying assembly in an upward direction, and for this purpose I preferably employ compression springs such as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 9.v As typically illustrated, there is provided, below each vertically movable drum supporting assembly, a spring supporting or reaction block 8i! having grooves 8| slidably receiving tongues 'I2 (see Fig. 9a.). These blocks 8f3 are thus .vertically slidable between walls B2. Blocks B9 are supported at a predetermined elevation above bottomv plate 5I by means of screws 85 extending through andvscrewthreaded in plate 62, the upper end of which screws engage sockets llt in the lower sides of blocks lill, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 9. The upper sides of blocks St are provided with seats or pockets 8l for the lower ends of compression springs 88, the upper ends of which engage and support the lower spacing member 69 between the corresponding pair of drum carrying plates 52.

These springs 8B yieldingly urge the drum supporting assemblies in an upward direction, Springs S8 are accurately made and closely matched, so that when their supporting blocks 88 are in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 9, drums 2 Ia will be pressed upwardly into tensioning engagement with the band blades with substantially equal degrees of pressure. The band blades are thus individually tensioned, and the tension in all of the blades will be substantially the same, even though ,there might be some small difference in band lengths, such as might arise from use or" re-spliced blades. The difference in pressure exerted by springs 88 with bands of small diierences in length, such as are encountered in practice, is entirely immaterial.

When blades are being placed on or removed from the machine, screws 555 are withdrawn for the purpose of lowering reaction blocks 8! and thus relieving the tension on the blades. If a blade should break, the tension on all .of the individual drums 2id forwardly of the drum whose blade has broken, as well as the tension on the latter drum, is released by the described manipulation of the corresponding screws S5. The blades on the relaxed drums are then each shifted over one drum, and a new blade is placed on over the iirst drum, after which screws E5 are again4 set in blade tensioning position.

The above described drum tensioning means, including the supporting springs, the spring reaction means, and the withdrawable means for supporting the latter in a fixed operating position, are claimed in my copending application entitled Multiple band `blade slicing machine, Ser. No. 336,842, filed May 23, 1940.

Such manipulation of screws G5 involves reaching in between the blade courses, and since the lades are quite sharp, I preferably provide a guard lill] (see Fig. 2) which extends downwardly from the two edges of plate tI and provides a protected space through which the arm oi' the operator may be reached without liability of contact with the blades.

' As shown in Fig. 3, steadying brackets 9| are provided for the two ends of the row of drums 2Ia, being mounted on supporting structure 6I) and presenting surfaces 92 in sliding engagement with the outside carrier plates 52 of the two outside or end drums of the row.

The previously described safety margin between the blades and the hereinbefore described individual roll mounting means, and extending all around the latter, is best seen in Fig. 2 and will be apparent therefrom.

Along the blade courses between the drums, I provide spaced-apart blade twisting guide means, which can take various forms, one form being illustrated by the parallel, notched plates I IU and III. These plates are spaced apart to form between them a slicing Zone for the blades, and through this slicing zone' the loaves or other articles to be sliced are fed. In this slicing zone the blades run in spaced parallel slicing planes, having been twisted into such planes by the guide grooves or notches in plates III] andfI I I. Thus these plates I I and I I I, supported as later to be described, are provided with rows of alined blade twisting guide slots |Ia and IIIa., respectively, adapted to receive the individual courses of the band blades and space them apart according to the slice thickness required. As will appear from the drawings, the downwardly and upwardly travelling courses of each band blade are received in adjacent guide slots of these plates I I0 and I I I, in such manner that each blade course makes a 90 twist between eachrguide plate and the drum from which, or unto which, that blade course is travelling.

Between guide plates III) and III, the blade' courses are disposed in spaced parallel slicing planes. The two courses of each blade cross one another at an angle dependent upon the diameters of the drums and the distance between drum centers. In general, for reasons well understood in the art, it is desirable that this angle be as small as possible.

'I'he lower guide plate III is shown provided with down-turned anges or brackets |211, by which it is secured to a transversely extending flange member I2I which extends downwardly from the forward edge of a horizontal feed table |22,` the latter, which is flush with the upper surface of guide plate I I I, being supported in the machine frame in any suitable manner. In order to accommodate loaves of different sizes. it is desirable that upper guide plate I I0 be vertically adjustable. In the illustrative construction here shown, plate III! is mounted on the forward portion of a loaf hold-down plate |24, which is in turn mounted, by means of brackets |25, on the lower end of a pair of vertically movable racks I 26. 'I'he lower surfaces' of plates II and |24 are flush, and together form an upper guide and hold-down plate for the loaves.

Racks |26 extend through guideways |260. formed in bearing mountings |27 secured to a transverse plate or bar |28. This transverse bar |28 is mounted at its rearward end on channel member I 4, while its forward end abuts and is secured to the upper portion lilay of a frame member or bracket i3d secured to and extending from the aforementioned vertical angle member I of the main supporting frame.

A horizontal, transversely extending shaft E32 is journaled in bearing mountings IZ'I, and has gear teeth |33 meshing with racks I (see'Fig.

5). It will be evident that rotation of this shaft |32 will cause vertical movement of racks |26, and A'therefore vertical adjustment of plates ||0 and |24.

The rearward end of shaft |32 has a collar |40 just rearwardly of rearward mounting |21, and the forward end of said shaft projects through frame member |30 and is provided, forwardly of member |30, with a hand wheel 4| and a ratchet wheel |42. An arm |43 pivotally mounted on the side of frame member |30a', as at |44, is provided with a dog |45 adapted to engage between the teeth of ratchet wheel |42 to hold said ratchet wheel, and therefore shaft |32 on which the ratchet wheel is tightly mounted, against rotation. When it is desired to effect vertical adjustment of blade guide plate ||0 and loaf holddown plate |24, arm |43 is lifted to disengage dog |45 from ratchet wheel |42, permitting shaft |32 to be rotated by means of hand wheel IM. When the adjustment has been accomplishedarm |43 is lowered to reengage dog |45 with the ratchet wheel.

The loaf feeding means, for advancing the loaves through the slicing means, forms no part of the present invention, and any suitable or desired means for accomplishing this purpose may be provided. However, while any suitable loaf feeding means may be provided, I have, for the sake of completeness, indicated ono simple illustrative type of loaf feeding means involving a reciprocating ram |60, operated through crank pin |6| and pivoted, slotted arm |62, and a gravity feed chute |65. It will be readily understood, without detailed explanation, how the loaves may travel down feed chute |65 to a position on feed table |22, forwardly of ram |60, and how said ram will engage and advance the loaf so deposited before it, forwardly along feed table |22, and finally between blade guide plates ||0 and and so through and clear of the blades. To prevent the succeeding loaf from lowering until the ram has been retracted, the ram is equipped with a rearwardly extending tail plate |66 which supports said succeeding loaf until the ram has been substantially fully retracted, as will be readily understood. This type of feeding mechanism is well known in the art and will require no further explanation.

Any suitable or conventional type of end guides for the loaves while being sliced may be provided. End guides for this purpose are indicated by numerals |68 and |69 in Fig. 3.

'I'he loaves having been advanced through the slicing Zone and clear of the blades, are received by any suitable means for conveying them from the slicer; I here typically and somewhat diagrammatically indicate for this purpose a downwardly inclined plate or table |10. It will be understood however that any suitable out-feed provisions may be employed, the details of which form no part of the present invention, and will therefore not require detailed illustration.

Preferably, for the purpose of backing up the blades courses at or near the slicing zone, and so that the blade courses will not be substantially deflected by the pressure of the loaves, I employ transversely extending blade backing-up rollers |12 and |13, the former being mounted somewhat above blade guide plate ||0, so as to engage one set of blade courses, and the latter being mounted just below lower blade guide plate so as to engage and back-up the other set of blade courses. These long blade backing-up rollers are rotatably mounted in any suitable manner on shafts |14 and |15, the latter being supported by means of mountings |16 and |11, respectively, projecting from frame member |30. For a more complete description of such backing-up rollers and their purpose, reference may be had to my copending application entitled Band blade slicing machine, filed May 14, 1938, Ser. No. 207,931.

A means is preferably provided for automatically opening an electric switch that controls the motor to stop the slicing machine in the event one of the band blades breaks. For this purpose there is provided a switch control means, which in this particular embodiment of the invention includes a shaft 200 extending across and immediately over individual blade tensioning `drums 2|a, being mounted at its forward end on an arm 20| pivotally mounted on a web 202 of frame top I3 (see Fig. 3), and mounted at its rearward end on an arm 204 pivoted at 205 to channel frame member I4 (see Fig. 2). Shaft 200 carries an arm 204a (see Figs. 2, 3 and 6) which is connected by link 206 to one end of a pivotally mounted mercury switch 201, of conventional design, the latter being pivotally mounted at 208 on channel member |4. This mercury switch 201, when in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, closes circuit 2| 0 to motor 39. For lnstance, switch 201 may be in series with one of the electric current supply leads 2|0 serving electric motor 39 (see Fig. 2a).

Now if a blade should break, the corresponding tensioning roller 2 |a will, under the influence of its tensioning springs 88, immediately become elevated a short distance, and in so doing will engage shaft 200, swinging pivoted arm 204a upwardly, as indicated by the arrow in Figs. 2 and 6, arm 204a thereby acting through link 206 to tilt mercury switch 201 sufficiently to open the motor circuit and stop the motor. Shaft 200 is supported normally out of engagement with drums 2 la by means of a stop pin 2|2 projecting from channel member |4 and engaging the underside of pivoted arm 204a. A second stop pin 2|3 may be provided to prevent mercury switch 201 and link 206 from being thrown to or past a dead center position. Thus, at any time a blade should break, the machine is stopped instantly, and whichever loaf is in the cutting position at the time of the break can be removed and dlscarded.

The machine as now described has the advantages of simplicity, assurance of proper tension on each blade, individual as well as effective tensioning of the blades, provision for effective cutting action at the slicing zone, and provision for instant stopping of the machine in the event of blade breakage. Provisions are made whereby the installation of a new blade in the event of breakage, may readily and conveniently be made, without excessive loss of time.

Subject matter of invention disclosed but not claimed herein is claimed in my copending application entitled Multiple band blade slicing machine, Ser. No. 336,842, filed May 23, 1940.

While I have now described and illustrated a present preferred embodiment of the invention. it will be understood this is for illustrative purposes only, and that various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as stated in the appended claim.

I claim:

A band blade slicing machine, comprising a stationary frame structure, a power-driven blade-supporting drum revolvably mounted on said frame structure, a plurality of independently adjustable blade tensioning rolls disposed side by side in approximate alinement with each other, a plurality of endless band blades, the space between said drum and said plurality of blade tensioning rolls being sufficiently clear and free of other parts and structure to permit each of said endless band blades to be looped about said drum and about one of said rolls in such manner that the two courses of each such blade cross each other with the blade being thereby mounted substantially in gure 8 form llaving one loop embracing the drum and the other loop embracing one of said rolls, spaced apart blade twisting guide means located between said drum and rolls and adapted to guide and twist the courses of substantially all said blades into spaced parallel slicing planes to comprise a slicing Zone, supporting means on said frame structure extending transversely of the blades in the space between the two crossed courses of substantially all said blades and between said plurality of rolls and the places where the courses loops of the blades that embrace said rolls andy there being a safety margin between said blade loops that embrace the rolls and said roll mountinCr means, said safety margin extending all around said roll mounting means to prevent any of the blades from being dulled by Contact with any portion of any of said roll mounting means if the blades run partially off their respective rolls.

WILLIAM WALTER HARTMAN. 

